Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not that, it's the fact it's an acronym that only certain groups are familiar with. Calling it Visual and Performance Arts is fine, because everyone understands what it means. Calling it VAPA is inferior communication, because it only signals to those already familiar with the acronym, and leaves the rest out. Instead they now just call it the 'Arts Department', so everyone understands what it means. For example…
This is ridiculous to the point of self-parody coming from the movement that spawned BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, a complete redefinition of the word “privilege“, and which demands the immediate firing and permanent silencing of anyone who has not fully internalized the appropriate “inclusive” language du jour.
You do ridicule it by comparing it to use of other acronyms.
I hope you can understand that there's a difference between use of acronyms of an Arts programme of a single school in a local area. These acronyms may be entirely unfamiliar to groups of people that historically have lower-access and that you're trying to reach via communications, and acronyms don't help in this situation, and are also unnecessary.
Versus the use of an acronym that represents about 5-10% of the world population (0.6 billion people), and is used and recognised on a worldwide scale, and is actually one of the major driving forces of communication. Acronyms in this case do help, and actually improve communication. (of course, there is a limit to the logic. And the communities themselves are constantly reevaluating what typology makes most sense, and which acronyms make most sense).